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Cowboys erase 21-point deficit, beat Rams 34-31

By WTOP Staff

R.B. FALLSTROM
AP Sports Writer

ST. LOUIS (AP) — DeMarco Murray fell short of expectations, at least against the St. Louis Rams. For the fourth straight game, he lost a fumble, too.

“Of course, I’m worried about them,” Murray said. “I’m very disappointed. I didn’t play the way I should have played.”

Tony Romo stepped up with his arm and legs and the defense made some big plays, helping the Dallas Cowboys rally from a 21-0 deficit on the road to win 34-31 on Sunday. They didn’t need their running back to be Superman in a comeback that matched the largest in franchise history.

“We kept fighting and clawing and scratching,” said Morris Claiborne, whose late interception clinched it. “When things went wrong, we didn’t hang our heads.”

Murray had 100 yards rushing on 24 carries, his 10th career 100-yard game, and a touchdown. It was nothing like the franchise-record 253 yards he rang up against St. Louis (1-2) in 2011 or the 175 yards he had last season.

Controlling Murray was a hollow achievement, much like in the opener when the Rams held Adrian Peterson down but got burned by Cordarrelle Patterson.

“He had a few good runs but for the most part we contained him,” St. Louis defensive end Robert Quinn said. “For us to be up 21-0 and give that game away, we have no one to blame but ourselves.”

The Cowboys (2-1) chipped away at the deficit and got contributions across the board.

Romo and Dez Bryant capitalized on busted coverage on a 68-yard pitch and catch scoring toss. Romo ran for 16 on third-and-13 on the go-ahead drive and Bruce Carter made his first career interception and then ran it in for his first career TD.

Some reasons why the Cowboys are 2-1 for the fourth straight year and the Rams are reeling heading into their bye week:

FAST START: The Rams opened with an 80-yard scoring drive for the second straight week on Lance Kendricks’ 1-yard catch. They were 5 for 5 on third down after Austin Davis converted third-and-13 with a 51-yard scoring pass to Brian Quick and were seemingly in command after Janoris Jenkins’ 25-yard interception return with 6:06 to go in the first half.

FASTER FINISH: Romo produced his 21st comeback victory in the fourth quarter or overtime, a franchise best. After scrambling to keep the drive alive, he hit Terrance Williams for the go-ahead score.

His second-half play overshadowed a third costly interception of the year.

Dallas also rallied from a 21-point deficit in 1984 against New Orleans and 1999 against Washington, although both of those wins came in overtime.

MISTAKE PRONE: There were myriad reasons for a collapse that tied for the second-largest lead blown by the Rams.

— On Bryant’s score, Jenkins bit on an early move and there was no safety help.

— Center Scott Wells lost a fumble when he didn’t realize Austin Davis was in the shotgun, and Jared Cook dropped a touchdown pass that could have put the Rams ahead 27-20. Instead, they settled for a field goal.

— Zac Stacy was thrown for a 1-yard loss by Anthony Hitchens on a delay handoff on fourth-and-inches from the Dallas 15.

“They ran that play earlier in the game,” Hitchens said. “It was me reading my keys and seeing it for the second time.”

The Rams are 0-2 at home and were whipped 34-6 by Minnesota in the opener. Fisher said Davis played well, but that Shaun Hill would be the starter after the upcoming bye week.

MOMENTUM CHANGERS: Penalties and a turnover late in the first half helped the Cowboys close the gap.

Murray’s 1-yard run came a play after rookie Lamarcus Joyner’s interference call in the end zone. After Henry Melton recovered Wells’ fumble, a roughing-the-passer call on Eugene Sims got Dallas closer for Dan Bailey’s 29-yard field goal at the end of the first half.

MONEY TIME: Bailey set a Cowboys record, hitting a 40-yarder in the third quarter for his 28th in a row.

“Honestly, that was the furthest thing from my mind,” Bailey said. “It was an exciting game. There were so many other things to think about.”

___

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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